


Echoflower Lane

by Tori_Aoshiro



Series: Undertale OS series [12]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Bittersweet, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 23:29:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11092158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tori_Aoshiro/pseuds/Tori_Aoshiro
Summary: "You're looking good! Be careful with your umbrella, the ceiling is low here." The language this voice spoke wasn't the one most monsters in the Underground used. It wasn't the elemental's silent language either. And yet Grillby could understand it, even though he had absolutely no memory of learning it.





	Echoflower Lane

Grillby didn't leave the warmth and safety of his diner. Snowdin's weather wasn't friendly with fire elementals such as him, and when he left his restaurant, he always had to make sure he was properly dressed. That day, he was heading towards Waterfall, wrapped up in his fireproof clothes, to visit his niece who was studying in Hotland.

Maybe it was because of the unusual trip, or an attention failure from the excitement to see his family again, or maybe a little joker had redrawn the path, but he soon found himself in a part of Waterfall he didn't recognize. No matter how much he walked around, he couldn't possibly find the way to the oh-so-desired hot lands. Frustrated, he eventually sat on the wet ground, his fist clutching his umbrella, trying to think of a solution, and accidently nudged an echo-flower. The unknown voice that filtered through the corolla shouldn't have made him jump, except for one detail.

"You're looking good! Be careful with your umbrella, the ceiling is low here." The language this voice spoke wasn't the one most monsters in the Underground used. It wasn't the elemental's silent language either. And yet Grillby could understand it, even though he had absolutely no memory of learning it. He got up curiously and looked for another echo-flower, a few steps further. He lightly poked a wet petal, cringing a little, and jumped again.

"Yes, yes, I know, you always say that." It was his own voice, low and slightly wheezing, pronouncing that strange language. However he didn't remember coming here before. He left his diner so little. More and more intrigued, he followed the path drawn by the echo flowers, growing more surprised with every whisper from the glowing corollas.

"It's because I care about you, silly. What an idea to go get lost in Snowdin."

"It's much quieter than the capital. You and your sons should come over, sometimes, this place is perfect for children."

"Grillby, you know I've got work to do." The elemental blinked from surprise. So, he was indeed the one this stranger had talked to. However, as much as he searched his memory, he couldn't remember a thing.

"That's one more reason to do so. H-hey!"

"Come on. Sans is going to get worried." What? Sans? What did the young lazy skeleton have to do with this?

"We'd have gone faster on the main path."

"No, I like this trail. People never walk around here." The tone was suddenly teasing, almost playful.

"O-oh. Uh… You mean…"

"Careful, don't burn the umbrella!" There was a silence and a short nervous laugh.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry, come here."

"And that's when I told him his hat was hideous, you should've seen his…" Grillby jumped back when the conversation suddenly stopped, replaced by new voices. He looked up and realized the echo-flowers had led him back on the main path that went to Hotland. He hadn't paid attention to where he was going, hypnotized by the conversation he never had. He suddenly looked back, scanning attentively the flowers around him. But however much he looked, the path he had took was like vanished. It could as well have been a dream. Only the itch on his fingertips reminded him he had touched the wet petals of the echo-flowers. He was cold. He didn't usually feel hot, everything was cold compared to him. But right now, he was really cold. As if, at that moment, there should have been something there, something he was missing.

Grillby stood there a while, trying to understand what he'd just lived. How? Why? But after a few moments, he turned back, barely noticing his eyes glowing red under his sunglasses, leaving a little bit of ashes on his cheeks. His niece was waiting. He had to leave.


End file.
